A win, a podium and the lead in the 2016 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy for BMW racer Benjamin Colliaux – Successful races in France and Japan.

The number of participants in the 2016 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy has increased to 90 – BMW S 1000 RR racers claim a win and numerous podium finishes in the French Superbike Championship and the French European Bikes Championship – Season opener in the MFJ Superbike All Japan Road Race Championship.

Munich (DE), 27th April 2016. The 2016 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy keeps growing: the number of participants has further increased. The standings also see a new leader: Benjamin Colliaux (FR), who had a successful weekend in the French European Bikes Championship (FR EU) at Nogaro (FR). Colliaux and his fellow BMW riders collected no less than a win and four more podium finishes. Also in the French Superbike Championship (FSBK), the BMW S 1000 RR raced to the podium in Nogaro, with Kenny Foray (FR) claiming a third place. In Suzuka (JP), the 2016 MFJ Superbike All Japan Road Race Championship (MFJ) kicked off, with eight BMW S 1000 RRs tackling the “Suzuka Circuit”.

2016 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy.

Last week, the first standings in the 2016 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy were published. This week, the lead has already changed: Benjamin Colliaux (FR) now holds first position in the standings with 101.54 Race Trophy points, courtesy of a win and a second place in the French European Bikes Championship (FR EU) last weekend. Second place is shared by Dominik Vincon (DE) and Stefan Kerschbaumer (AT), who race in the Superstock class of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC STK), with 100.95 points each (see full standings below).

The number of participants in the 2016 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy has increased to 90 BMW racers from all around the world. They come from 19 different countries and race for 46 different teams in 20 different championship classes. Registration for this year’s BMW Motorrad Race Trophy is open until 30th June 2016. In 2016 the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy comprises of a total of 28 classes in 21 international and national championships.

French Superbike Championship in Nogaro, France.

The second round of the 2016 French Superbike Championship (FSBK) saw the BMW S 1000 RR finishing on the podium for the second time this season in the series. The event was held at Nogaro in the southwest of France. In the first of the two races, Kenny Foray (FR) claimed third on his Tecmas Racing Team BMW S 1000 RR. Foray had already celebrated a second place in the season opener at Le Mans (FR). In race two, the Frenchman finished fourth just outside the podium places after a great catch-up. A mistake at the start saw him drop back to 20th. From there, he worked his way back through the field. During that catch-up, Foray also set the fastest race lap.

Fellow BMW rider Cyprien Schmidt (FR), who competes on a Superstock version of the RR, finished the races in 21st and 16th respectively. Rookie Maxime Bonnot (FR) ended the first race in 30th on the other Tecmas Racing Team BMW S 1000 RR. In race two, he retired after a fall.

French European Bikes Championship in Nogaro, France.

The Nogaro circuit also hosted the second round of the 2016 French European Bikes Championship (FR EU). The BMW racers nearly had the perfect haul, by claiming five of the six possible podium places. They were led by Benjamin Colliaux (FR / Cherot Motos Sport), who won the first race and finished second in race two.

The first heat was held in rainy conditions on Saturday and ended with a one-two-three for the BMW S 1000 RR. Colliaux was joined on the podium by Michel Amalric (FR / Tecmas Racing Team) and David Bouvier (FR). In total, seven BMW racers crossed the line in the top ten. Madjid Idres (FR / Team ERT / Motorshow) and Léon Benichou (FR / Team RMS) finished in sixth and seventh respectively. Manu Dagault (FR) and Florian Brunet-Lugardon (FR / Gers Moto Vitesse Ordannaise) completed the top ten in ninth and tenth.

In Sunday’s second race, the BMW riders occupied positions second through to eighth. This time, conditions were dry. Colliaux and Florian Brunet-Lugardon stepped onto the podium in second and third. Bertrand Boyer (FR / Team ERT / Motorsport) came home in fourth. Cyril Brunet-Lugardon (FR / Gers Moto Vitesse Ordannaise) claimed fifth, closely followed by Amalric in sixth. Bouvier and Dagault finished in seventh and eighth respectively.

MFJ Superbike All Japan Road Race Championship in Suzuka, Japan.

The MFJ Superbike All Japan Road Race Championship (MFJ) 2016 season kicked off in Suzuka (JP) last weekend. The first race of the season also served as a qualification round for the “Suzuka 8 Hours” endurance classic, which will be held in July. No less than eight BMW S 1000 RRs tackled the renowned “Suzuka Circuit” with the mission to score MFJ points as well as to secure their places on the grid for the 8-hour race.

Daisaku Sakai (JP) on the Rosetta Motorrad39 #39 BMW S 1000 RR finished in 14th, while Koji Teramoto (JP / Motorrad Rennsport) finished 17th. Shinya Takeishi (JP) and Takahiro Sowa (JP) took it in turns on the SYNCEDGE 4413 Racing RR. They finished 24th. The VITAL SPIRIT SAKURA ADVANCE team claimed 28th with its Japanese duo of Sano and Tsujimoto. Yuuta Kodama (JP) finished in 30th on the Team Tras 135HP RR. The Rosetta Motorrad39 KOREA #35 RR was classified in 38th place, and the Active Link Tio Verity #89 RR was ranked 47th. This team’s #88 RR missed qualifying for the opening race, which was restricted to 55 participants. In total, 81 bikes had taken part in the qualifying sessions for the MFJ season opener.

Five of the BMW teams have already secured their participation in the “Suzuka 8 Hours”: Rosetta Motorrad39, Team Tras 135HP, Motorrad Rennsport, SYNCEDGE 4413 Racing and VITAL SPIRIT SAKURA ADVANCE.

2016 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy – Current Standings.

Status: 27th April 2016

16. Taylor MacKenzie (GB/BSBSTK/42.09), 17. Bertrand Boyer (FR/FR EU/39.38), 18. Florian Brunet-Lugardon (FR/FR EU/38.77), 19. Cyril Brunet-Lugardon (FR/FR EU/36.31), 20. Pekka Päivärinta/Kirsi Kainulainen (FI/SWC/35.36), 21. Santiago Barragán (ES/CEV/32.89), 22. Joshua Brookes (AU/WorldSBK/32.80), 23. Joshua Elliott (GB/BSB STK/31.82), 24. Michael Laverty (GB/BSB SBK/31.00), 25. Christian Iddon (GB/BSB SBK/28.60), 26. Ian Hutchinson (GB/BSB STK/26.00), 27. Karel Abraham (CZ/WorldSBK/23.20), 28. Hudson Kennaugh (ZA/BSB STK/21.64), 29. Julien Brun (FR/FR EU/20.92), 30. Adrián Bonastre (ES/CEV/19.00), 31. Ronald Slamet (ZA/RSA SBK/18.86), 32. Steve Rapp (US/AMA STK/18.13), 33. Garrick Vlok (ZA/RSA SBK/16.86), 34. Lee Jackson (GB/BSB SBK/16.60), 35. Luca Vitali (IT/STK1000/16.00), 36. Janez Prosenik (SI/EWC SBK/13.62), 37. Léon Benichou (FR/FR EU/13.54), 38. Maxime Bonnot (FR/FSBK SBK/12.92), 39. Pedro Rodriguez (ES/CEV/12.60), 40. Richard Cooper (GB/BSB SBK/10.20), 41. Matthieu Lussiana (FR/WorldSBK/9.20), 42. Ricky Lee Weare (ZA/RSA SBK/9.14), 43. Justin Gillesen (ZA/RSA SBK/7.71), 44. Eric Vionnet (CH/STK1000/6.89), 45. Pierre Bezuidenhout (ZA/RSA SBK/6.57), 45. Etienne Nelson (ZA/RSA SBK/6.57), 45. Evert Stoffberg (ZA/RSA SBK/6.57), 48. Thomas Toffel (CH/STK1000/5.11), 49. Pascal Meslet (FR/FR/FR EU/4.92), 50. Roberto Blazquez (ES/CEV/4.60), 50. Alastair Seeley (GB/BSB SBK/4.60), 52. Federico D’Annunzio (IT/STK1000/3.33), 53. Gauthier Duwelz (BE/STK1000/1.78), 54. Howie Mainwaring Smart (GB/BSB SBK/1.60), 54. Jakub Smrz (CZ/BSB SBK/1.60), 56. Sam West (GB/BSB STK/1.45), 57. Elwyn Steenkamp (ZA/RSA SBK/1.14), 58. Michal Bidas (CZ/AARR STK/0.00), 58. Pepijn Bijsterbosch (NL/IDM STK/0.00), 58. Jacques Brits (ZA/RSA SBK/0.00), 58. Jan Bühn (DE/IDM STK/0.00), 58. Daniel Cooper (GB/BMW RRC/0.00), 58. David Datzer (DE/IRRC/0.00), 58. Stefan Dolipski (DE/AMA STK/0.00), 58. Michael Dunlop (GB/BMW RRC/0.00), 58. Ryan Farquhar (GB/BMW RRC/0.00), 58. Matteo Ferrari (IT/CIV/0.00), 58. Michal Fojtik (CZ/AARR STK/0.00), 58. Dominic Herbertson (GB/BMW RRC/0.00), 58. Sabine Holbrook (DE/AARR SBK/0.00), 58. Davo Johnson (AU/BSB STK/0.00), 58. Lee Johnston (GB/BMW RRC/0.00), 58. John Krieger (ZA/RSA SBK/0.00), 58. Sébastien Le Grelle (BE/IRRC/0.00), 58. Vincent Lonbois (BE/IRRC/0.00), 58. Valter Patronen (FI/CEV/0.00), 58. Michal Prášek (CZ/AARR STK/0.00), 58. Heinrich Rheeder (ZA/RSA SBK/0.00), 58. Mike Roscher/Anna Burkard (DE/SWC/0.00), 58. Joan Sardanyons (ES/CEV/0.00), 58. Denni Schiavoni (IT/CIV/0.00), 58. Michal Šembera (CZ/AARR SBK/0.00), 58. Paul Shoesmith (GB/BMW RRC/0.00), 58. Rene Skalicky (CZ/AARR STK/0.00), 58. Björn Stuppi (DE/IDM STK/0.00), 58. Tomas Svitok (SK/AARR STK/0.00), 58. Jordan Szoke (CA/CSBK/0.00), 58. Martin Tritscher (AT/AARR STK/0.00), 58. Jacques van Wyngaardt (ZA/RSASBK/0.00), 58. Ben Young (GB/CSBK/0.00)